Car-coupling



(Nu Model.)

I J. A. WHITTEMORE.

CAR COUPLING.

No. 289,049. Patented Nov. 27, 1883.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES ATENT *l rrrcn.

JOHN A. WHITTEMORE, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-COUPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 289,049, dated November 27, 1883.

Application filed July 1'7, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J can A. Wnrrrnnonn, of Springfield, county of Hampden, State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improved Safety Car Coupler, which is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal section of my improved car-coupler; Fig. 2, alongitudinal section of the same with hook raised to allow freeing of the link; Fig. 3. aside view of the same. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are detached views.

A represents the draw-head; B, the hook; O, the lifting-toe; D, the link; E, the shaft; H, the shoulder thereon; I, the universal slot thereon; J, the lever; K, the pin uniting shaft E and lever J; L, the ball at end of shaft E; M, the jaw at end of lever J; O, the upper in clined face of hook B; P, the hook-seat; R, the recessed part of hook B; S, the lug near the rear and at the bottom ofhook B; T, the elongated slot in hook B; U, the channel in the draw-head in which the hook and lifting-toe are contained.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, certain, and secure means of shackling and unshackling railway-cars without going between them or manipulating anything ere cept the lever at the exterior of the cars. This is accomplished by the several parts above enumerated acting conjointly, as follows: If the draw-heads of the cars to be coupled are of the same height from the rail, the action is automatic, no manipulation being required. Link D, entering draw-head A, strikes the in clined face of hook B, forcing it back and up until the link passes beneath it, when it drops into position within the'link and seats itself upon seat P of draw-head A. W'hen the cars move forward, hook B will be drawn forward slightly and bear with its upper incline face, 0, firmly against the draw-head, correspondingly inclined to receive it. In case one drawhead is higher than the other, the brakema-n, standing at the'exterior of the car, presenting the link by means of lever J, jaw M, ball L, pin K, and universal slot I, rotates shaft E, depressing lifting-toe O, resting upon the inner extremity of link I), which necessarily raises the outer end of link D sufficiently to permit its ready passage within the opposing drawhead, and the coupling is effected as before explained. To uncouplc, lever J, operating shaft E, elevates lifting-toe O, fitting squarely on shoulder H of shaft E and lying within the recessed part B of hook B, thereby carrying hook B back and up until the link, is free to be withdrawn. To prevent fracture of liftingtoe O by the incoming link, it is held up by lug S on hook B, which lug also lifts liftingtoe G with hook B whenever it is elevated.

It will be observed that the elongated slotT in hook B has an important function in this apparatus. It prevents any power applied to move the train from being exerted on shaft B, because if the link drives hook B back by reason of the elongated slot, the rear of thehook brings up against the rear of channel U in the draw-head, and when the hook is drawn forward it slips upon shaft E until, as previously pointed out, its upper inclined face, 0, reaches the draw-head.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of drawhead A, having its upper face inclined inward, hook B, having its outer upper face similarly inclined, lifting-toe G, shaft E, and lever J, constructed and operating together substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An automatic car-coupling hook provided with an inclined upper face, an elongated slot, and lug S, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. A car-coupler provided with a shaft having a ball at one end provided with an elongated slot, in which the pin secu ring the ball to the corresponding jaws of its operating-lever is free to moye in any direction to suit the different angles at which it may be desired to set the lever by its operator.

J OHN A. YVHITTEMORE.

Witnesses:

WVILLIAM F. HENNEY, E. HENRY HYDE, J r. 

